Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CAIRO2
2009-01-01 02:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: DECEMBER 31

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM KPAL IS EG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8295
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #0002/01 0010245
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 010245Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1262
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000002 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPAL IS EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: DECEMBER 31

Classified by Pol-Econ Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000002

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPAL IS EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: DECEMBER 31

Classified by Pol-Econ Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (d).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Arab League ministerial went into
closed session at 1:00pm local time and as of 6:00 pm local
time we have not gotten any comment on the status of the
talks, either from the Egyptians or other delegations. Egypt
closed and evacuated the Rafah terminal several times
overnight in advance of Israeli air attacks, but continues to
open on a limited basis to received injuries Palestinians and
allow assistance through. Protests in Cairo and elsewhere in
Egypt continue, with a heavy security presence keeping
numbers down and preventing demonstrators from reaching the
Arab League. The press continues to report on external
critics of Egypt; the independent press joined the official
media in defending the government against anitt-Egyptian
rhetoric. TV commentators suggested Egypt is facing two wars
-- the Israeli war on the Palestinians and the "dirty media
war" again Egypt. Egypt has cancelled several official New
Year's activities in solidarity with the Gazans. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) AL Ministerial: The Arab League Ministerial
officially began around 1:00 pm today and is still meeting
behind closed doors at of 6:00 pm local time. Saudi Foreign
Minister Faisal delivered a short opening statement, and then
gave way to Amr Moussa who delivered a tough and angry speech
against the Israeli attacks, while also calling on the
Palestinians to overcome their divisions. He criticized
Israel for attacking civilians, laying the blame for the
current conflict on "the occupation and siege." Moussa said
that with if the Palestinians had a "strong resistance or a
strong army" the Israelis would not have attacked, citing the
October War - "when Syria and Egypt stood together and
gained victory" - as an example. He also said that "the
weakness and division of Arabs and Palestinians lead to a
situation where Arabs are disrespected," calling on the
Palestinian factions to "unite and forget their
disagreements." Echoing Mubarak's earlier statements,
Moussa warned against allowing others to manipulate the
situation for their own political gain.



3. (SBU) Rafah border: Egyptians closed and evacuated the
Rafah terminal several times overnight December 30-31 in
advance of Israeli air attacks near the Gaza-Egyptian border.
Egypt continues to open the border on a limited basis to
receive injured Palestinians and allow humanitarian
assistance through. Medical cases, depending on their
condition, are being transferred to hospitals in al-Arish,
Ismailia, and Cairo.

PROTESTS CONTINUE
--------------

4. (U) Protestors, including Muslim Brotherhood (MB)
members and members of the April 6 Movement, demonstrated
December 30 at the Bar Syndicate in downtown Cairo and tried
to demonstrate at the Doctors' Syndicate and in Tahrir
Square, but police prevented them from demonstrating at the
latter two locations and arrested a number of participants.
The MB claimed police arrested 45 MB members, but Reuters put
the number at 23. Contacts told us of a December 30
demonstration involving a few hundred protestors in Fayoum,
south west of Cairo.


5. (U) In the early afternoon of December 31, members of the
Tagammu and El-Ghad opposition parties and the Kefaya and
Revolutionary Socialist opposition movements gathered at
Tagammu's downtown headquarters chanting slogans, and
preparing to march together to the Arab League Headquarters.
However, the police prevented them from moving toward the
Arab League headquarters, and arrested approximately 35
demonstrators who tried to reach the Arab League. Police did
allow the demonstrators to congregate at the press and bar
syndicates nearby in large numbers. The demonstrators and
the heavy police presence paralyzed downtown traffic. At the
outskirts of Cairo, police prevented approximately 150
opposition demonstrators from reaching the capital to join
the protests.


6. (C) Demonstrations/Looking Ahead: Contacts speculate
there will be many demonstrations following Friday prayers
outside mosques throughout Egypt January 2, which police will
be unable to prevent. We will monitor the situation closely.
There are unconfirmed rumors that members of the ruling
National Democratic Party (NDP) plan to hold marches on
Friday, January 2 in support of the GOE,s handling of the
Gaza crisis. December 31 press reports claimed that the
April 6 Movement is calling for a strike in support of
Palestinians in Gaza. However, an April 6 member told us
privately on December 31 that such calls for a strie are the
uncoordinated efforts of a few April 6 ctivists. He
confirmed that April 6 activists hd taken part in most of
the demonstrations in Caro since the December 27 Israeli

CAIRO 00000002 002 OF 002


attacks on Gaza.


7. (SBU) GoE Statements: President Mubarak devoted much of
his televised New Year's address to the nation on December 30
to the Gaza situation. Mubarak claimed that Egypt exerted
"strenuous efforts" over the last six months to maintaining
calm in Gaza, reiterated Egypt's "unquestionable support" for
the Palestinian cause, and described Egypt's relief efforts,
including treating some wounded Palestinians in Egyptian
hospitals. Mubarak said that the Rafah crossing will remain
closed because of the absence of PA and EU observers, "in
violation of the 2005 deal." In an appearance on the
Egyptian talk show Itallem on December 29, FM Aboul Gheit,
apparentlyin response to the widely circulated pictures ofhim shaking hands with Israeli FM Livni during ther December
meeting and the resultant criticism, xplained that Mubarak
had "summoned" Livni to Cairo because he saw signs of
impending Israeli actin in Gaza.

MEDIA COVERAGE
--------------
8.(U) Official broadcast and print media continue t
respond to internal and external critics who chnge the GOE
is not doing enough to support the Palestinians and to
restore a ceasefire. Egyptian TV focused on Mubarak's
address to defend his decision not to open the Rafah border
crossing with Gaza and telephone calls with world leaders
(including President Bush),demonstrations in India and the
US, its efforts to open the Rafah terminal to wounded
Palestinians and for humanitarian supplies, and continuing
coverage from Kafr Sheikh, home of the police office who was
killed on Monday. The Kafr Sheikh coverage included "on the
street" interviews with local residents who blame Hamas for
the death of the officer and the escalation of violence. TV
talk shows focused on the "anti-Egyptian" rhetoric in
pan-Arab media and the attack on the Egyptian consulate in
Yemen. TV commentators suggested Egypt is facing two wars --
the Israeli war on the Palestinians and the "dirty media war"
again Egypt.


9. (U) Independent and opposition press also covered
Mubarak's speech, some on the front page, and largely joined
the official media in defending the GOE from external
critics. Commentators in the official media universally
echoed Mubarak's key message that Egypt's commitment to the
Palestinian people is beyond question. Independent and
opposition commentators focused on Egypt's perceived missteps
in dealing with the Livni visit, but did not question to
underlying GOE position on the Rafah crossing. The
non-official press continued to give prominent coverage to
the transit of humanitarian aid at the Rafah crossing,
demonstration in Egypt and civilian injuries in Gaza.
Discussions on Egyptian blogs follow opinions in the
independent and official media. One blogger wrote, "it is a
strange thing that Gaza is being neglected whereas the focus
in on Egypt and its so-called treason." Most official and
independent media covered street demonstrations in Egypt and
elsewhere.


10. (U) New Year's cancelled: Egypt has also cancelled
official New Year's celebrations, including a performance at
the Cairo Opera House and a variety to have been hosted by
the Ministry of Information on TV in solidarity with Gaza.
SCOBEY